Delosperma plant named ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Delosperma  plant, ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’, characterized by its compact and very horizontal plant habit, its relatively small leaves, its very floriferous and long blooming flowering habit, and its flowers that are yellow-orange in color with red petal tips, white-light purple centers, and yellow anthers.

Botanical classification: Delosperma cooperi.

Variety denomination: ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with U.S. Plant Patent Applications filedfor plants derived from the same breeding program that are entitledDelosperma Plant Named ‘Jewel of Desert Rosequartz’ (U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 13/199,787), Delosperma Plant Named ‘Jewel ofDesert Moon Stone’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/199,823),Delosperma Plant Named ‘Jewel of Desert Ruby’ (U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 13/199,812), Delosperma Plant Named ‘Jewel ofDesert Peridot’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/199,815), andDelosperma Plant Named ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ (U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 13/199,846).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofDelosperma plant, botanically known as Delosperma cooperi ‘Jewel ofDesert Topaz’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name,‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’. The new cultivar of Delosperma is an herbaceousperennial grown for container and landscape use.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Ichinimiya-City, Aichi-Pref, Japan. Theoverall purpose of the breeding program was to develop new cultivars ofDelosperma plants with low-growing and well-spreading growth habitscombined with long flowering periods and a unique range of flowercolors.

‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ was selected in the Inventor's trial garden inNovember 2006 as a single unique plant from amongst the seedlingsderived from self-crossing an unnamed plant from the Inventor's breedingprogram in May 2005. The Inventor's reference code for the parent plantis “A”.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished bysoftwood cuttings in 2009 by the Inventor in Ichinimiya-City,Aichi-Pref, Japan. Propagation by softwood cuttings has shown that theunique features of the new cultivar are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes incombination distinguish ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ as a unique cultivar ofDelosperma.

-   -   1. ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ exhibits a compact and very        horizontal plant habit.    -   2. ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ exhibits relatively small leaves.    -   3. ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ exhibits a very floriferous and long        blooming flowering habit.    -   4. ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ exhibits flowers that are        yellow-orange in color with red petal tips, white-light purple        centers, and yellow anthers.

The parent plant of ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’, Ref. code “A”, differs from‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ in having a more upright (less horizontal) planthabit, in blooming for a shorter time period, and in having flowers thatare light yellow in color with white centers. ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’can be most closely compared to the cultivar ‘Reiko’ (not patented),which is similar to ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ in having a horizontal planthabit. ‘Reiko’ differs from ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ in having a lessregular plant habit, purple flowers and in blooming for a shorter periodof time.

‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ can also be compared to cultivars withco-pending patent applications from the same breeding program thatdiffer from ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ most significantly in flower color:

‘Jewel of Desert Ruby’ has red flowers with deep pink and white centersand yellow anthers.

‘Jewel of Desert Moon Stone’ has white flowers with yellow anthers.

‘Jewel of Desert Rosequartz’ has light pink flowers with white centersand yellow anthers.

‘Jewel of Desert Peridot’ has yellow flowers with white centers andyellow anthers.

‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ has red-orange flowers with pink centers andyellow anthers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Delosperma. The plant in thephotograph is 3 months in age as grown in a 7-cm container in a unheatedgreenhouse in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of a flower of ‘Jewelof Desert Topaz’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Delosperma.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of three month-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown in 7-cm containers in a unheated greenhouse inNoordwijkerhout, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar mayvary with variations in environmental, climatic, and culturalconditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmentalconditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Mid April to mid September in            Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Compact, well-spreading, horizontal.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 5 cm in height and about            10.3 cm in diameter with mature plants reaching up to 10 cm            in height and 30 cm in spread.        -   Cold hardiness.—Observed to be hardy to U.S.D.A. Zone 7.        -   Diseases.—No more susceptible or resistant to diseases than            other Delosperma cooperi varieties, diseases are typically            not a problem for Delosperma cooperi, except when grown with            too much moisture.        -   Root description.—Fibrous roots.        -   Propagation.—Softwood cuttings.        -   Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Round.        -   Stem color.—A blend of 147C and 147D, older stems 177D.        -   Stem size.—Lateral branches; an average of 3.8 cm in length            and 2 mm in diameter.        -   Stem surface.—Moderately glossy, moderately covered with            very short glandular hairs; average of 0.2 mm in length,            155C in color.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, average of 4 lateral            branches, 3.8 cm in length and 2 mm in diameter, branch            internode length is variable but typically about 1.0 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Ligulate, triangular in diameter, succulent.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf venation.—No veins visible.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf surface (upper and lower surface).—Slightly glossy,            slightly pubescent with very short glandular hairs, average            length about 0.2 mm, 155C in color.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper and lower surface; a blend of 143B            and 143C, base 144B, mature upper and lower surface; a blend            of 143A and 143B.        -   Leaf size.—About 2.8 cm in length and 4.5 mm in width.        -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 8 per lateral branch (4 pairs).        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Flowers solitary, rotate.        -   Flower number.—Average of 3 per lateral stem and 12 per            plant.        -   Flower fragrance.—Moderately faint, sweet and pleasant.        -   Flower aspect.—Outward to upright.        -   Flower longevity.—A few days.        -   Flower type.—Single.        -   Flower size.—Average of 2.7 cm in diameter and 1.0 cm in            depth.        -   Flower buds.—Broad ovate to oblong in shape, average of 2            per lateral system, average of 11 mm in length and 6 mm in            diameter, color; 145A, flushing upward becoming a blend of            143A to 143B.        -   Sepals.—5, ovate in shape, margin entire, average of 5 mm in            length and 2.5 mm in width, broadly acute apex, broadly            cuneate base, surface is smooth and dull on upper and lower            surface, color; young upper and lower surface; a blend of            145A and 143A to 143B near apex, mature upper surface; 146B,            mature lower surface; a blend of 145A to 146C and 143A near            apex.        -   Petals.—An average of 30 per flower, rotate and slightly            curved arrangement, narrow oblanceolate in shape, surface            smooth on upper and lower, margin entire, apex is obtuse,            average of 1.3 cm in length and 2 mm in width, color opening            and fully opened upper surface; a blend of 26A and 14A, base            75B to 75C blending with 155A, apex flushed with 178B,            opening flowers and fully opened lower surface; 63B with            base of petal 63C to 63D, fading upper surface; a blend of            26C and 14A, base 75C blending with 155A, fading lower            surface; 63C with base 63D.        -   Petaloid.—Rotate near vertical and placed around stamens,            average of 30, lanceolate in shape, margin entire, apex            obtuse, base truncate, upper and lower surface smooth,            average of 4 mm in length and 1 mm in width, color upper and            lower mature and immature surface; 62D blended with 155A,            non fading.        -   Calyx.—Rotate in shape, average of 6 mm in length and 1.5 cm            in diameter.        -   Peduncle.—Average of 3.2 cm in length and 1.5 mm in            diameter, straight on top of lateral branch at 0°, 144C in            color, surface moderately glossy, moderately covered with            very short glandular hairs.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistils.—About 5, average of 2 mm in length, triangular            shaped stigma, style is an average of 2 mm in length and            144A in color, and ovary is 143C in color.        -   Stamens.—Average of 60, anthers are dorsifixed and narrow            oblong in shape, average of 0.5 mm in diameter, and 13A in            color, filaments are 2 mm in length and 155D in color,            pollen is moderate in quantity and 14A to 14B in color.        -   Fruit.—Fruit and seed production was not observed under the            conditions tested.

1. A new and distinct variety of Delosperma plant named ‘Jewel of DesertTopaz’ as described and illustrated herein.